What is home-theatre?
At its simplest, a DVD-player connected to a TV.
At its most evolved, upto 11 channels of audio powering a multitude of loudspeakers in a dedicated room, complete with large projection-screen and rows of armchairs.
Usually somewhere between the two….anything from 2 to 6 speakers and a moderately-sized plasma/LCD in one of the living-spaces in a home.
And the cost? Typically around 2 lacs, though the sky’s the limit. At the other extreme, you CAN do it for under a lac.but go too low and you will NOT get value-for-money but wish you spent just a little more, instead of wasting money on a cheap, useless toy.
Why a home-theatre?
To anyone who has been in a cinema and heard his neighbour’s mobile ring loudly in the middle of a particularly tense or emotional moment, this question is a no-brainer.
On a more practical note, now that the typical outlay on a movie-outing for a family of four is into the four figures, renting a movie on DVD suddenly makes sound economic sense!
To say nothing of the convenience of watching it in one’s own space, at one’s own pace.
And the possibility of building a collection of favourites, to be savoured at will, time and time again.
How do you go about it?
First, by analyzing your needs and preferences; and matching them against your budget and other considerations of space and placement.
Then, researching the equipment that is available; and selecting whatever is most suitable.
Making sure it is correctly set-up; and learning how to make the most of it.
And this is where a GOOD consultant comes in. Someone with knowledge of what’s out there in the market, able to separate the good from the merely mediocre, knowing what works best with what and in which situation.
Someone with the aesthetic sense to liaise with an architect; and the sensibility to know the importance of lifestyle.
Above all, someone who takes the trouble to listen to YOU, understands your desires and limitations; and only then makes recommendations from among the bewildering choice of equipment now available in this country.
And finally, supervises its correct set-up, engaging specialists as required; and helps you understand the various(and exciting!) possibilities at your finger-tips, thus ensuring you get the most for your money.
So you can be thrilled and moved by movies and music, while spending quality-time with your family, in the privacy and comfort of your own home!